TRANSCOM/1045 5 April 1996
Original: ENGLISH
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
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ECA POSITION ON THE FUTURE OF SSATP
A. Introduction
1. During the SSATP revlew meeting held in Brussels on 17 July 1995, it was decided
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to set up a committee composed of the World Bank, EU and ECA to prepare the draft position paper on the future of SSATP up to year 2000. An outline of the document was suggested as indicated in Annex 5 of the report of the SSATP prospective review meeting.It was also agreed that clear objectives of each component should be defined including parameters, time limit: and to take into consideration the poverty reduction aspect. The a ~ ~ r o a c h suggested was to orient the programme to the translation of policy into practice taking into account (recommendation 6) activities supported by the African countries.
Discussions also focused on the issue of holistic and regional approach of the future SSATP.
but agreement was not reached on the issue of holistic approach.
2. The July meeting recommended that the role of government, donors and SSATP, should be defined in the position paper as well as the institutional mechanism and dissemination aspects of the programme. It was also indicated that the position paper should include the role of ECA and the relationship between SSATP and UNTACDA I1 (SSATP prospective review meeting).
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3. The draft position paper prepared by the World Bank has taken into account some points of the suggestionslrecommendations made in Brussels. This draft is a good starting point and can be used to prepare the final position paper which will reflect the consensus reached in Brussels.4. The present document gives ECA's position on the future of SSATP.
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I B.
ECA PROPOSALI. Findings of the perspective review
5. The position paper should take into account the following issues raised in Brussels and in the prospective review report:
The need for clear definition of relationship of the objective and the duration of the component; (see background to SSATP)
The necessity to have a clear definition of relationship and coordination between SSATP and the UNTACDA I1 programme; (recommendation
11)
The necessity to improve on the dissemination aspect.
The need for SSATP to take into account all components supported by the African governments (see page 4 of the report of the review meeting held in Brussels)
Elimination of the donor-driven concept; (Recommendation 5) Necessity to link the SSATP with investment programme so as to increase the participation and commitment of governments and to ensure the success of the programme (para 30 of the prospective review, in page xii);
The necessity to define the performance or monitoring indicators for each component (Recommendation 10);
The need to adopt an approach based on the translation of policy into practice rather than on theories and studies (Recommendation 6);
The need to establish a mechanism of implementation (para 30 of the prospective review, in page xii).
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(j) The necessity to address : human resources policies, redundancy and employment, accountability, incentives and sanctions, pay and work discipline, supervisory skills, skill acquisition. training needs and skills, facilitation, collaboration, participation, or the management of change.
This is a cross sectoral issue and, except for HRID, and to some degree.
the RMI and the RM, the SSATP components have not addressed these issues (para.34 in page xii); and
(k) Inclusion of other components into SSATP.
6 . ECA proposes that the future objective of the SSATP be: "To improve, within the
framework of UNTACDA I1 programme, the transport system in SSA through the translation into practice of adopted policy reforms and institutional development; and to set up sustainable capacity to manage and operate transport institutions and organizations". The duration of the programme should be four years (4 years).
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Ilf. Programme approach 11.
Objective
of future SSATP7. In order to shed the donor-led image and ensure the full participation of beneficiaries, the following programme approach is suggested:
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(i) Linkage of SSATP activities with some investment or assistance programme for the pilot countries;
(ii) Definition of SSATP activities around those activities supported by African countries: this could be done through frequent consultations with beneficiaries:
(iii) Involvement of regional organizations and the inclusion of the activities of the SSATP into the regular work programme of the regional organizations as well as all relevant partners: and
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(iv) Organization of seminars or workshops in order to familiarize policy makers with the obiectives findings and methodology of SSATP: this will
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contribute to solvkg partially t h e problem created by frequent changes and transfer of African experts.
IV. Mechanism of implementation
8. SSATP is part of UNTACDA I1 and is concerned with an operational activities.
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.II Therefore, the two programmes should be linked. This is necessary because, at the implementation stage, the SSATP has suffered negative influences from the absence of effective coordination between the SSATP and UNTACDA I1 (see para 30 page xii).
9. ECA should be associated in the conceptualization and implementation of all SSATP activities. This will allow ECA to include some of the SSATP activities in its future regular work programme.
10. The Programme should not be limited to countries under SAP, otherwise the donor- led concept will always persist.
11. Steering Committee meetings should be organized in different countries and a network of communication and exchange of information among pilot countries should be established.
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The dissemination aspect could be improved, inter alia, by the use of channels.already exerting at ECA i.e UNTACDA I1 meetings (Working Groups, African Experts and Ministers meetings, AD HOC Experts group meeting). For example: (i) the next meeting of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport and Communications could be organized in such a way that a session is devoted to SSATP findings; (ii) the AD HOC expert group meetings of ECA. scheduled for November 1996 could be used to disseminate some SSATP findings: (iii) the ECA newsletters and the annual report of ECA
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Arrangements to improve the dissemination of the findings of SSATP componentsPage 5
could contain some highlights on the programme and findings of the SSATP;
and (iv) the future SSATP programme could be presented at the next Conference of African Ministers of Transport and Communications in late
1997.
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Regional seminars on specific issues could be organized with XB funds in ESACC, ESAMI and N I T . In this regard, capacity building programmes to strengthen ESAMI and NITT could be prepared.*
ECA partners such as IRF could also be associated in the programme.I Articles on SSATP could be published in the Railways Gazette, march&
tropicaux and other specialized transport magazines.
12. ECA is willing to take leadership in this field.
VI. Future involvement of Regional Organizations
The committees of subregional transport organizations could be used for dissemination of SSATP activities and findings, provided such organizations are participants.
Participation of the regional organizations in the design and monitoring of activities, they should be members of the Steering Committees.
Inclusion of SSATP activities in the work programmes of regional organizations with the provision of XBIfunds - in this regard, regional organizations will have to make appropriate request for their SSATP activities.
Understanding should be reached between the regional organizations and the World Bank for the implementation of SSATP components.
The regional and subregional organizations should host some of the SSATP meetings.
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VII. Poverty alleviation and domestic resource mobilization throughout SSATP
Rural transport development programmes, where applicable. should utilize labour-intensive technologies focusing on women, who constitute the bulk of the rural poor.
0 A major factor contributing to rural poverty is the lack of a market outlet for the crops harvested by the small farmers living in remote areas away from the main roads. Improvements in transport infrastructure should place special emphasis on feeder roads linking the main roads and the producing regions in the interior of African countries.
Food insecurity is a vital aspect of poverty. Transport facilities contributing to food losses aggravate poverty. It is advisable to promote cheaper and more suitable means of transportation for food commodities such as fish and vegetables. which are susceptible to spoilage and considerable losses. An example of this is reasonably priced, refrigerated vehicleslvans.
0 Concentrate programme activities to reduce the cost of transport in selected corridors.
VIII.
Programme implementation, management and monitoring by stakeholdersc
13. Eventhough the World Bank is and willcontinue to be the executing agency of the programme. SSATP's activities should nonetheless be conceived and implemented with active participation and involvement of ECA, the Regional Organizations and the users in order to internalize the programme into activities of all concerned parties. The World Bank operational task managers for the pilot countries should be associated also in designing and conducting of the programme.
14. The stakeholders should be participants in the Steering Committee meetings. In this regard their representatives in the host country should participate in the review meetings.
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IX. Role of ECA
15. ECA by its nature has, in the field of Transport, multidisciplinary experiences in African problems. In the past, ECA has played an advocacy role through its regular programme and UNTACDA 11. Therefore, ECA has tremendous experience and information on African transport issues.
16. ECA is very close to African countries and has a consultation structure with governments i.e the Conference of African Ministers of Transport and Communications as P well as the Conference of African Ministers of Planning at both experts and ministerial levels w and several other mechanisms.
17. ECA is also in contact and close collaboration with the private sector and all African regional organizations dealing with transport as well as institutes of transport.
18. Based on the above and on recommendations 10 and 11 of the prospective review (see executive summary, page xvi), ECA can play the following roles in SSATP within the context of UNTACDA I1 programme:
Participation in all SSATP components' coordinating committees and in formulation, design, implementation and monitoring of SSATP components;
Dissemination of information on SSATP activities through existing ECA channels/mechanisms and developing networks with African institutions.
universities and Regional Organizations. In this regard. a network should be established between ECA and the SSATP partners,
Disseminating the information on SSATP through ECA newsletters. sensitization missions and advisory services to member States:
Participation in research studies on specific issues;
Contribution in fund raising activities and in creating awareness among African countries on specific transport issues:
Channelling to the SSATP partners, Africa's needs and the issues that need to be tackled by the SSATP programme;
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0 Chairing and Co-organizing overall management meetings of the programme, and of seminars/workshops;
Organizing and conducting regional components of SSATP and linking SSATP with the African Integration process; and
0 Co-organizing the African Transport Forum with the World Bank.
X. Role of Governments
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19. African governments could show their commitment to the programme by financing some activities or local components of the programme such as the participation of their experts, co-organizing of meetings etc. Participation of countries should be considered only after their formal reauest.
20. Where a SAP do not exist, a National Coordinator for SSATP activities should be designated by the government. This could be the chairman of the NCC of UNTACDA 11.
21. Where SAP exist. the staff assigned for transport sector should be the coordinator of SSATP activities.
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XI. SSATP Components
1. Data Base Component
22. The first part of phase two of the programme should aim at consolidating what has been achieved in the first phase by securing a coordinated support for pilot countries (about ten) and helping them to strengthen their capabilities to collect, analyze and use transport data and thereby assist in building a foundation for the improvement of the quality of management, planning and decision-making in the sector.
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%!I 23. The second part of phase two should concentrate on assisting pilot countries in the development of national transport data base systems (Information Systems) and the eventual establishment of the regional data base at ECA for the integration of country and subregional data.
24. ECA has already included the definition and development of transport performance indicators in the various transport modes in the 199611997 regular work programme and will, therefore, assist countries in their incorporation into national data bases.
25. ECA should assume the overall coordination and management responsibilities for the implementation of the programme with technical support, where necessary, to be provided by an associate partner responsible for the technical (information technology and communications systems) aspects of the programme. The World Bank and ECA should jointly explore the possibilities of identifying associate partner for the project, based on lessons already learned from the first phase. Implementation of the programme should
.~.'% continue on the basis of findings and recommendations of the terminal report of the first
kII phase.
2. Railway restructuring
26. The Railwavs component is already developed and a number of railways have implemented some aspects of proposed restructuring activities. ECA's role in the component should cover the dissemination of successful cases to other railways for the purposes of sharing of experiences. and provision of advisory services to assist interested railways in their efforts to carry out their restructuring activities within the framework of UNTACDA 11.
3. Trade and transport component
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27. ECA has already prepared TOR'S for assessment of implementation of provisions in international transit facilitation agreements along selected corridors in SSA. The assessment is to be completed in the first half of 1997. The results of the assessment will constitute direct inputs into the T & T component of SSATP. Follow-up activities to the
implementation of the outcome of the assessment to be undertaken by ECA may include subregional seminars on transport facilitation, drafting of guideline and preparations of transit agreements and promotion of activities related to containerization and container transport along transport and inland depots (ICDG) corridors in SSA.
28. ECA accepts the expansion of the component to cover Eastern and Southern Africa subregions and recommends that the management of the component in Eastern and Southern
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Africa should be entrusted to COMESAIPMAESA. ECA would then take up the role of*v harmonization of activities of MINCONMAR, COMESAIPMAESA.
4. RMI
(a) the need to extend coverage of pilot countries to include non-SAP countries:
(b) the need to examine experiences in countries which have not adopted RMI but have established a good record on road maintenance (e.g. Botswana and Morocco);
(c) the need to set up national road associations to provide the stakeholder with a forum for exchange of ideas;
(d) the re-visiting of the regionalization of the RMI programme to initiate capacity building in Sub-Saharan Africa.
5. RTTP
29. ECA agrees with the proposals made for the 1996-2000 programme.
6. Urban Transport
30. The workshops on restructuring urban bus services and reform of regulatory framework should be organizedlrepeated for other interested African countries. Efforts should be made to identify the interested countries through direct request and dissemination of information on the past workshops.
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XII. Proposal to formulate future financing as pooled funding for time slices of components
31. ECA, through its transport experts, willprovide necessary backstopping assistance to the programme for activities agreed upon with the World Bank. For the next biennium some of the recurrent activities could be included in ECA's regular work programme.
32. For dissemination aspect, ECA is ready to provide the necessary time required.
33. ECA is ready to take the leadership for the sector performance indicators and capacity building. In this regard we suggest the following parameters and target to be monitored by an agency. ECA is willing to play this role with the support of SSATP since this will require studies and research.
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Suggested parameters and target for SSATP components
Xfll.
Seaor performance indicators and capadrybuilding for sector operation and
management
(i)
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0
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(ii)
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SSATP
Data Base
The level of success in the consolidation of phase I achievements in selected pilot countries:
Number of countries that will have national data bases established within four years (Pilot countries are to be increased from the current seven to ten).
Number of partners willing to contribute to the implementation of the proqamme.
The extent to which the national data bases in the pilot countries willserve as a basis for the establishment of a regional data base at ECA.
implementation of efficient maintenance systems in the pilot countries;
(iii)
(iii)
reduction of road transport service costs by 10 per cent.
Railways
increase by 3 per cent of the freight traffic and 2 per cent of the passengers traffic:
establishment of a iormal relationship between government and railway cooperation, spelling out the role of the railway and the obligation of the State:
privatisation or comnlercialisation of some railway activities
Trade and transport
Improvement of international traffic through, inter aha ratification and implementation of effective international transport service agreements based on commercial interests:
Increase of traffic facilitation.
Urban Transport
Number of workshops organized
Number of countries ioining the urban transport component
Number of countriesicompanies implementing reforms/commercialization of their urban transport companies.
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XW. OTHER
COMPONENTS 11
A. HRID
Introduction
34. Human Resources Development. Investment in human resources development, to increase productivity and competitiveness, contributes to economic growth. In an area where ability to access and use modern transport and communications technologies are key to exploiting opportunities in trade and investment, skilled professionals are needed to manage
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b and operate transport infrastructures. ECA will contribute to developing African expertise by sensitising policymakers, through policy dialogue and studies, to the importance of developing skilled professionals.
35. Institutional Development. African transport and communications industry is under pressure to liberalise, commercialise and privatise its structures. However, whether these enterprises remain in the public domain as public enterprises. or are in the private sector as private companies, governments will continue to have a role in the way they operate, either as owners and operators, or in shaping the regulatory and fiscal environment in which they operate as regulator. ECA can assist African countries to manage change by strengthening the institutional capacity of African governments, and by bringing together stakeholders for dialogue.
36. During its phase I, the HRID programme created awareness on the need to develop human resources and streamline institutions. The subregional and regional workshops which were organized have lead to the definition of activities to be undertaken during phase I1
*- whose objective, as defined by the beneficiaries, i.e. to assist African countries to train their
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human resources and establish transport and communication institutions to help improve the efficiency of the sector and make them better able to meet the needs in that area.37. The immediate objectives of phase I1 programme of SSATP are: (i) T o conduct pragmatic research aimed at determining methodologies, policies, regulations and possibilities for i m ~ r o v i n ~ the results as well as strategies for formulating programmes aimed at assisting African countries to carry out policy changes, institutional reforms. manpower development and improvement of management. (ii) To assist certain countries to design and carry out sectoral andlor modal restructuring by means of a four-year pilot programme and simultaneously draw appropriate lessons from the results of the policy and institutional reform programmes and publicize them throughout Africa, and (iii) To assist African countries to SSATP
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take measures to restructure their transport and communications sector, draw up policy reforms, restructure operational institutions and departments by mode or throughout the entire sector on the basis of the experience and lessons learnt from the pilot activities implemented in certain countries and in other regions such as Asia and Europe.
38. Since the suggested new programme amroach is meant to avoid the donor-led image
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of the programme and to take into account the activities supported by African countries. it is necessary that the HRID component should be implemented as conceived by the beneficiaries. To date, there are around 20 countries requesting to be considered as pilot countries for HRID.Proposed Content of phase II HRID
39. It is proposed that the HRID component address the following issueslactivities during the coming four years:
( 0 Setting up at ECA of an " O b s e ~ a t o i r e " for the performance and the institutional capacities of African enterprises and institutions. This
"Observatoire" will monitor the performance indicators of the African enterprises, disseminate the information on capacity building. It will also assist governments, enterprises and institutions to establish conducive environment and to conduct the process of commercialisationlprivatisation. This activity is directly linked with the SSATP concept of monitoring and developing adequate parameters.
(ii) Preparation of "How to" paper on issues of human resources policies, redundancy and employment. accountability, incentives and sanctions, pay and work discipline, supervisory skills, skill acquisition, training needs and skills,facilitation, collaboration, participation or management of change. In this regard case studies could be undertaken. and seminars/workshops organized, to familiarize experts on "How to"
handle redundancy or other issues;
(iii) Organization of study tours for exchanging of experiences:
(iv) Training of experts to handle policy reform and develop manpower policy such as accountability, incentives and sanctions, work discipline, supervisory skills,collaboration etc. This can be done through training in specialized institutions or universities;
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(v) Technical assistance to institutions and organization in their process of restructuring and human resource development. In this regard, organizations and institutions facing similar problems will be identified and assisted in the assessment of performance and conceptualization of solutions.
40. The performance indicators for the component are:
(a) the number of African experts trained to handle specific issues related to human resource and institutional development.
(b) the improvements in performance of the institutions assisted and restructured.
(c) the number of countries involved in the programme.
(d) number of transport training institutions which will incorporate HRID in transport in their regular courses.
SSATP
